1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method to perform a percutaneous or non-dissection procedure involving the establishment of an opening or entry into a body cavity or hollow viscus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of devices have been advanced for non-dissection establishment of openings into a body cavity or hollow viscus, notably for tracheostomies. Such devices are normally preferable to dissection procedures, which require considerable surgical skill in that many blood vessels are often involved which tend to bleed profusely during a dissection procedure.
My U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,243 discloses a method and apparatus which utilizes a dilator to which is separably attached a flexible leader. Means are provided for introducing the leader into the tracheal lumen in performing a tracheostomy.
My U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 206,709 discloses a similar method and apparatus, but utilizing a permanently attached dilator leader and an improved means for establishing proper location of elements of the apparatus in the tracheal lumen. The apparatus and method also utilized a pair of co-axially arranged needles to facilitate introduction of the dilator leader into the tracheal lumen, and further utilized a trachea tube in coaxial relation to the dilator for retention in the tracheal lumen upon removal of the dilator. The double needle arrangment was relatively expensive and complex to use, and the coaxial arrangement of the dilator and the trachea tube limited the length of tube which could easily be employed. This was a disadvantage in those instances where the patient's trachea was more deeply located than normal.